Marcus King (Stephen J. Cohen / Getty Images)

Marcus King on His Wife’s Request To Test Him for STDs When They First Started Dating: “I Need That Kind of Tough Love”

Marcus King has found his soulmate. His wife, Briley, means everything to him. King spoke recently about their relationship.

Many people, some famous, some not, credit their spouse for helping them stay sober and centered. Country singer Marcus King is among them. When the "Delilah" singer, 29, was on The Zach Sang Show, he spoke frankly about what his wife has brought to his life. It's not a stretch to say she is indispensable to him in many ways.

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King Recalls When He Met His Wife Briley

His memory of that first encounter is still fresh after four years. It was after a concert he gave. King shared, "She waltzed up on my bus like she owned it, and I was taken with her sweet southern drawl. She asked to connect to the Bluetooth, blared Linda Ronstadt and Aretha Franklin and we sang and danced till it was time for the bus to leave. I told her the next morning to quit her job and marry me instead."

When Things Got Amorous the First Time, She Got Cautious

Briley sounds like a prudent person. When the action between her and King got lusty the first time, he says she made a certain request. "She gave me a nice smooch the first night we met. She couldn't resist my charms all the way. But she was like, 'Hell no, I don't know where the hell that thing's been.' She's like, 'You need to go get checked out.'"

So King did just that. He got himself tested for STDs. "I went and I got checked out, and I was like, 'You guys call me and leave me a voicemail that says all is well. And so they did that and I sent her the voicemail. I was like, 'I'm good to go.'"

They Tied the Knot Two Years Ago

King and Briley, who also sings, were wed in Music City in 2023. Country superstar Jamey Johnson officiated. It's very clear what she means to him. He said, "I get really depressed when I'm not around her. It's different than any relationship I've ever had... I like somebody that's like, 'No, you need to get up and do some s-t for yourself.' Cause I need that kind of tough love. The parts that are broken in me are not going to be fixed with any form of coddling..."

King continued, "Everybody that came in tried to help me from a very honest and genuine place, but it was always too soft and it always allowed me to get back off the rails. This is the first woman that I've ever been with that was like, 'Hell no.'"